Cashew Chicken (腰果鸡丁)
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
20 mins
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Cook Time
5 mins
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Total Time
25 mins
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Servings
4 servings
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Calories
335 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Chinese
Cashew Chicken (腰果鸡丁)
Description
This recipe for Cashew Chicken starts with chicken pieces marinated in Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch to tenderize and create a smooth coating. The chicken is first seared in a hot pan until golden on both sides and then removed to rest. Aromatic ingredients including sliced garlic, finely chopped ginger, and chopped green onions are swiftly stir-fried in the same oil to release their fragrance. Diced bell pepper is added and cooked just until tender to retain freshness and slight crunch.
The prepared sauce, featuring oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, light soy sauce, Chinkiang vinegar, chicken stock, sugar, sesame oil, and white pepper, is stirred to dissolve cornstarch and poured into the pan to thicken. The cooked chicken is returned to coat evenly with the glossy sauce, and roasted unsalted cashews are folded in at the end, providing nutty flavor and crunchy texture contrasts. This dish offers a harmonious blend of savory, slightly tangy, and subtly sweet flavors enhanced by fresh aromatics and textural variety from the bell peppers and cashews.
Cashew Chicken makes a satisfying main course served best with steamed rice to balance its flavor intensity. It showcases a classic Chinese stir-fry technique emphasizing quick cooking to preserve ingredient texture and vibrant taste.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) chicken breast cut into 2/3-inch (1 cm) pieces (or thigh, skinless, boneless
Marinade
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine (or dry sherry)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
Sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon Shaoxing wine
- 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce or soy sauce, light
- 1 tablespoon Chinkiang vinegar
- 1/3 cup chicken stock
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons sesame oil
- 1/8 teaspoon white pepper powder
Stir fry
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or vegetable oil)
- 4 cloves garlic , sliced
- 2 teaspoons ginger , finely chopped
- 2 green onions , chopped
- 1 bell pepper , seeded and diced
- 1/2 cup cashew roasted, unsalted
Instructions
- Combine chicken, Shaoxing wine, salt, and cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl. Mix well so the chicken is evenly coated with a thin slurry.
- Mix all the sauce ingredients together in a small bowl.
- Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Spread the chicken with minimal overlapping. Let cook until the bottom side is light golden, 1 minute or so. Turn to the other side and cook until light golden. Stir a few times until all surfaces turn white. Transfer the chicken to a big plate.
- Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, garlic, ginger, and green onion. Stir a few times to release the fragrance.
- Add the pepper. Stir and cook until the pepper just turns tender, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Stir the sauce again to dissolve the cornstarch completely. Pour into the pan. Quickly stir a few times until the sauce thickens. Return the chicken to the skillet and mix again.
- Add the cashews, quickly give it a stir and immediately transfer everything to a plate. Serve hot as a main dish.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 335 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 335kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 16.2g | 5% |
| Protein | 28.6g | 57% |
| Fat | 18.7g | 29% |
| Saturated Fat | 3.5g | 18% |
| Cholesterol | 65mg | 22% |
| Sodium | 598mg | 25% |
| Potassium | 206mg | 4% |
| Fiber | 1.4g | 6% |
| Sugar | 5.7g | 11% |
| Calcium | 25mg | 3% |
| Iron | 2mg | 11% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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